Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Diasciaxc3x97hybrida cultivar Redwsm.
The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Diascia plant, botanically known as Diasciaxc3x97hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Redwsm.
The new Diascia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Guadalupe, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Diascias with numerous flowers with attractive coloration and good garden performance.
The new Diascia originated from a cross made by the Inventor during the summer of 1998 of a proprietary selection of Diasciaxc3x97hybrida identified as code number 316-1, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, with an unidentified selection of Diascia mallis, not patented, as the male, or pollen parent. The new Diascia was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny by the Inventor during the summer of 1998, in Guadalupe, Calif. on the basis of its attractive flower color.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings taken in Guadalupe, Calif. since the summer of 1998 has shown that the unique features of this new Diascia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Plants of the cultivar Redwsm have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Redwsmxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Redwsmxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct Diascia cultivar:
1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Freely branching habit.
3. Freely and continuous flowering habit.
4. Dark red purple-colored flowers.
Compared to plants of the female parent, the selection 316-1, plants of the new Diascia have darker colored flowers. Compared to plants of the male parent, the unidentified selection of Dianthus mallis, plants of the new Diascia are more outwardly spreading, are more freely flowering, have larger flowers, and have darker colored flowers.
Plants of the new Diascia can be compared to plants of the cultivar Red Start, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Guadalupe, Calif., plants of the new Diascia differed from plants of the cultivar Red Start in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Diascia were more outwardly spreading than plants of the cultivar Red Start.
2. Plants of the new Diascia flowered more continuously than plants of the cultivar Red Start.
3. Plants of the new Diascia were more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Red Start.
4. Flower color of plants of the new Diascia was darker than flower color of plants of the cultivar Red Start.
Plants of the new Diascia can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Ruby Fields, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Guadalupe, Calif., plants of the new Diascia differed from plants of the cultivar Ruby Fields in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Diascia were more outwardly spreading and mounding than plants of the cultivar Ruby Fields.
2. Plants of the new Diascia flowered more continuously than plants of the cultivar Ruby Fields.
3. Plants of the new Diascia were more vigorous than plants of the cultivar Ruby Fields.
4. Flower color of plants of the new Diascia was much darker than flower color of plants of the cultivar Ruby Fields.